


Your Turn to Despair

by CrossoverQueen



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, キミガシネ | Kimi ga Shine | Your Turn To Die (Visual Novel)
Genre: Blood and Gore, Crossover, Dangan Ronpa Spoilers, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Kimi ga Shine | Your Turn To Die Spoilers, M/M, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:21:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23205385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrossoverQueen/pseuds/CrossoverQueen
Summary: The crossover that was bound to happen: Danganronpa meets Your Turn to Die!Sara Chidouin finds herself in an academy with 15 other Ultimates. She doesn't know how she got there or how to escape, and she's not sure what to make of her fellow candidates. When the Monodolls reveal the academy's true purpose, her confusion turns to fear--with tensions high and mysteries abound, it's only a matter of time before someone panics and goes full-on trigger happy.
Comments: 21
Kudos: 102





	1. Your Turn

Sara Chidouin awoke to a soft, white room. She sat up and rubbed her head, eyes scanning the walls. Confusion didn’t set in immediately, but when it did, it hit with the full force of a speeding car.

This wasn’t her room. This wasn’t her bed. And—what time was it? What was she doing here?

As confusion slowly melted into fear, Sara rose from the bed. She approached the wall to her right, which was covered by large, metal slabs. To the left, she saw a door and a dresser. Against the wall before her lay a flat screen TV, but it was blank and lacking an on button. There were no photos in the room, no knickknacks nor flowers. The room was devoid of personality, and Sara had no idea what to make of it. 

How had she gotten here, and where was here, anyway? It certainly wasn’t anywhere she recognized.

Offhandedly, she wondered if this was some elaborate, strange prank. It wouldn’t be the first time her best friend Joe had tricked her (she remembered the traffic cone incident in great detail), but if this was a trick, she’d have to discuss some boundaries. A high school student waking up in an unknown room… well, it wasn’t on her top ten list of jokes. 

The last thing she remembered was saying goodbye to Joe before entering her house. They’d walked together most of the way, since they were both worried about her stalker. (Inadvertently, Sara shivered—after several months, she still didn’t know who the man was, nor what he wanted). So, it was certainly possible that Joe had waited for her to fall asleep, and then… moved her to this random place? Without waking her or alerting her parents? It didn’t really make sense, but Joe could be unpredictable at times. And given the bizarreness of this situation, it was the only theory she could come up with. 

“Really, Joe?” she said aloud, half-expecting him to jump out and scare her. But the room stayed silent. Joe didn’t appear. Her question made the silence seem louder. 

Mildly annoyed at her best friend, Sarah crossed the room and reached for the doorknob. Once she was out of here, they’d have a talk about what was ok and what wasn’t. And then… then maybe she’d ask him more about his date with Ryoko. Or maybe she’d pretend he hadn’t mentioned it. A thousand maybes crossed her mind, each competing for her attention. But they were all drowned out in an instant by a far worse thought: 

Maybe this room—maybe being here—maybe it had nothing to do with Joe.

Just as she was about to turn the knob, Sara froze. The stalker. He was the actual last thing she remembered—running after her as she neared her house, calling her name and saying, “Don’t go home.”

But, she _had_ gone home. She’d escaped him. And then, she’d fallen asleep in her bed, hadn’t she?

…No, that wasn’t right. Was it? Why couldn’t she remember—how had she—

_Ding dong!_

Sara yanked back her hand as if the door were electrified. She turned on her heel and stared at the monitor, which had suddenly sparked to life. On the screen was a simple message: “Welcome, Sara Chidouin. Ultimate Samurai Woman.” It was written in red, and it faded as quickly as it had appeared, but Sara couldn’t deny she’d seen it. The moment the greeting was gone, new words appeared: “Assemble in the Game Room.” Like the first words, these disappeared, too. The monitor clicked to blackness. 

Sara looked back toward the door; her heart sputtered. A stalker wouldn’t do something like this, would he? It was far too over the top, far too strange. Unless he was some sort of serial killer who tortured his victims. 

Her hands were shaking. Her breaths came out quick and ragged. Was this really happening? Had she really been kidnapped? And if she had been, what would happen now? This couldn’t be possible, could it?

 _Think this through,_ she thought. _You have no reason to believe someone’s trying to hurt you. You have a headache. You’re confused._ She tried to steady her breathing. _You’re ok._

All of these things were true. She hadn’t been hurt, only alarmed. She was confused and angry but uninjured, which seemed more in line with her first theory: Joe, not a stalker. 

“This isn’t ok, Joe,” Sara said aloud. There was no response. At least, no human response. Instead, the TV sparked to life again. The new words were equally simple, but far more frightening: “Any candidate who remains in their room will lose the game. You have two minutes to make your decision.” 

Sara’s heart lurched once more. Her stomach felt queasy. She focused on her breathing, on staying calm. Lose the game? She had no idea what that meant. But she didn't want to stick around and find out. 

And yet, a rebellious part of her _did_ want to stay in the room, if only to see the look on Joe’s face when he realized she wouldn’t fall for his trick. But the larger part of her—the survival part—refused to stay here a second longer. Just in case.

If this really was her stalker, Sara couldn’t show fear. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. She’d find a way out of here, call the police, and be done with her stalker, whoever he was.

And if this really was just Joe being Joe… well, their talk was going to be a long one. 

Glaring at the TV, Sara grabbed the knob, turned it roughly, and unknowingly took her first step into the game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo I literally joined AO3 because I wanted to read a story like this but couldn't find one haha :) Not sure how frequently I'll be updating, though I have this all outlined and a bit already written. I'll also be updating tags/ratings/relationships as I get more of the story posted.
> 
> In order to get everything out quicker I'll probably limit edits--for that reason, any feedback regarding typos or logical errors is appreciated. And general opinions are appreciated even more! Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoyed :)


	2. Meet the Candidates - Part I

The hallway was as unfamiliar and unadorned as the bedroom. Instead of white, the walls were beige, and the floor was made of wood. At the far end, she spotted another door, which was also wooden and bare.

Sara stopped in place. Another door? Could that mean another person? 

She started walking toward it, and a sense of relief filled her at the thought of figuring out what was going on. But the closer she got, the less certain she became—in a situation like this, would another person be a good thing? 

Could this person be the one who had taken her?

A few steps from the door, Sara hesitated. At the same time, the door started opening. It was eerily slow, like out of a movie; the creaking noise only made it more unsettling. 

With a jolt, fight or flight kicked in, and Sara looked around for a weapon. She turned toward her sides but saw only wall. Pivoting behind her, she spotted nothing but her own door and a beige dead end. 

_Calm down,_ she reminded herself. _It’s probably just Joe. You’re safe._

But she wasn’t convinced. She looked back toward the door. Fight or flight continued to battle within her. 

The moment she fully turned back around, a tall, muscular man emerged. He had blond hair, tired eyes, and arms the size of her head. He stared at her, blinked in surprise, then continued staring. Quizzically. Not hostile. 

Sara froze. She didn’t recognize this man. And if he were here, could that mean he was—

“Hey there,” the blond man greeted, lazily raising a hand in greeting. Immediately, Sara relaxed—his voice was deep and soft. Nothing like the stalker’s voice. “Looks like you’re caught up in this situation, too.” The man closed the door behind him, then stepped out into the hallway. He took a step closer, and Sara took one back.

Stalker or no stalker, she still didn’t know him. 

“Well, someone’s tense,” the blond stranger said. He raised a hand to the back of his neck and rubbed it, as if he were the one who was tense. “How about this, I’ll just stand here. Not gonna make any sudden moves. And you can tell me what you know about this place.”

“Who are you?” Sara responded, ignoring the stranger’s question. Mentally, she was preparing herself. As scared as she was, her thinking remained clear and steely.

“That’s fair, introductions first,” the man replied. “My name’s Keiji Shinogi. Just consider me your friendly policeman.”

“Policeman?”

“That’s right, policeman. Which means you can trust me to figure out what’s going on here.”

Sara didn’t respond as she tried to sort through the new information. Why was there a policeman here? What had she gotten herself involved with? And why didn’t she remember? 

“It’ll be easier to help if I know your name,” the man said, rattling Sara from her thoughts.

“Oh,” she responded. “I’m Sara. Sara Chidouin.”

“Sara, huh?” he responded. “Cute name for a cute girl.”

Sara cocked her head at the response but didn’t comment. “Where do you think this is?” she asked. “And do you remember how you got here?”

“Hmm, this place? No, can’t say it’s familiar.” He rose a hand to his shoulder as if loosening a muscle. “Last thing I remember is—well, it’s not important. Point is, I don’t know where we are.”

“That inspires confidence,” Sara said, deadpan. 

His eyes widened, then returned to their stoic expression. “Ah, well, give your friendly policeman another chance. I'm guessing you don't know much about this place either?" When Sara didn't respond, Keiji continued. "That's alright, we'll just need to partner up and solve this mystery. And we should probably start by finding the others.”

“Others?”

Keiji gave a half-smile, almost a smirk. “There was a monitor in that room. I’m guessing yours had the same. It said, ‘Any participant who doesn’t leave will lose the game.’ And ‘any participant’ makes me think there’s more than just us.”

“...I hadn’t thought about that,” Sara admitted. “I was too focused on the ‘what’s going on’ part.”

“Wahaha." Keiji's laugh, almost carefree, startled her. "See, like I said, your friendly policeman will get us—”

Before Keiji could finish his sentence, they heard a scream. They looked at each other briefly, then faced the sound. 

“Sara, we should—” Keiji began, but Sara was already running ahead of him, instincts leading before thought.

She wasn't sure what made her head toward the noise. Under these circumstances, it couldn't be anything good. And yet, she couldn't _not_ help someone who needed her. It was something Joe teased her for, something her parents warned her about--something she did all the same. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a sign on the wall saying "Game Room." It pointed forward, and she followed the path, hoping the sound came from that direction. Behind her, Keiji's footsteps fell loudly, keeping pace. A small part of her was glad he'd followed. 

Sara rounded the corner, and just like that, she came across a strange scene: a dark-haired woman with teardrop makeup glaring at a man in a black and white uniform. The man was obviously uncomfortable, and he refused to make eye contact with the woman before him. Neither of them noticed Sara's entrance, too wrapped up in... whatever was happening. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” the woman asked, finger jutting into the man's chest.

“Reko, it was not I who chose to come to this location,” the man replied. "I am unknowing of how I arrived."

The woman named Reko grit her teeth. “I want nothing to do with you, nothing—” 

At that moment, Keiji arrived, and Reko turned her attention toward him.

Taking in the scene, Keiji smirked. "Looks like we didn't have to run all this way, Sara," he said. "That was quite a scream you made," he added as he turned toward the woman. "And over what? A jilted lover?"

At that, the man grew pale. Reko scowled. “We ain’t lovers,” she said, as she took several steps away from him. “We’re—we’re nothing.”

The man looked away as she spoke. "That is correct. We, um, have no acquaintanceship to speak of." 

“Uh huh," Keiji replied, face betraying nothing. "So you're strangers? Sara here and I were strangers, too. Feels like years ago.” 

“It's been 30 seconds,” Sara replied. 

“Anyway," Keiji said, "not sure why someone put a bunch of people together who don't know each other. But I think it’s best we all stop being strangers if we want to figure out what’s going on here."

“So you two don't know what the hell's happening either?" Reko asked. Sara shook her head, and the older woman sighed. "Fine, I’ll introduce myself to you two, but not to him." She gestured to the blue-haired man, who continued looking away. With a slightly more relaxed expression, Reko continued, "The name’s Reko Yabusame. Songwriter, and, according to that weird monitor, the Ultimate Singer.” She smiled. “Can’t say I disagree.”

Sara scrunched her brows. The message on the monitor—she’d nearly forgotten. But before she could interject, the man began talking. 

“My name—my name is Gonbee,” he said. “And though I wish to deny it, I am the accursed Ultimate Prisoner.”

 _Prisoner?_ Sara thought. That certainly explained what he was wearing, but not why he was here. A small feeling of unease filled her—should she be weary of someone like him?

“Gonbee?” Keiji responded. “No last name? Just Gonbee?"

"Um, Gonbee Yab-" The man coughed. "Yamada. Gonbee Yamada."

Keiji stared at him as if debating whether to press. “Huh, sounded almost like you were going to say something else there." The prisoner tensed, but Keiji relaxed his shoulders and limply smiled. "Gonbee's a pretty memorable name," he said. "Hopefully mine’s easy enough to remember, too. I’m Keiji Shinogi, and I don’t know what all this talk about ultimates is, but if I were one, I would be the ultimate guy-who's-gonna-get-us-out-of-here."

 _Or ultimate arm day,_ Sara thought, before another realization hit her. 

“Wait, you didn’t get an ultimate message?” she asked. “Didn’t it tell you on your monitor?”

Keiji looked to the side. “Can’t say I saw anything, except the message about needing to leave. Must have missed that other one.”

Sara narrowed her eyes. Three out of four people had gotten a message--why not Keiji? For now, she chose not to question it--there were plenty of other things to worry about--but mentally, she stored it away.

“I’m Sara Chidouin,” she greeted. “And according to that monitor, I guess I’m the ultimate samurai woman.”

“Sara Chidouin,” the man (maybe) named Gonbee said. For the first time since arriving, he didn't look uncomfortable, only curious. “What a noble artform! Please, tell me about your prowess in--" 

“She doesn’t have to tell you anything,” Reko snapped. “Better yet, why are you talking to her when it’s not about escaping?" Reko folded her arms and frowned. "I'm supposed to have a gig today. Getting out of here's what we need to focus on.”

Immediately, the man's former expression returned. And Sara might have imagined it, but it seemed like the woman flinched. A heavy silence hovered, until Sara chose to break it.

“..Sorry, but I agree,” she said. “This isn’t the time to be learning about each other. We need to concentrate on figuring this place out.” 

Gonbee lowered his head. “That is a most astute point of both you and Re—err, this woman who I do not know. Yes, let us formulate our escape plan."

Wanting to avoid more awkwardness, Sara turned toward Keiji, who gave no indication that he agreed or disagreed. “So, do you think this is everyone?” she asked.

Keiji looked over them, then shook his head. “Sorry, but I have a feeling there’s a lot more.”

“How do you know?”

“Like I said, just a feeling.”

“Maybe we should keep going then,” Sara said. “I’m sure we’ll stumble across more people soon. And besides, we're supposed to head to that game room, right?"

"...That's what the monitors said," Keiji replied. There was something odd about his tone, but before Sara could respond, he started down the hallway. Silently, Gonbee followed, and with a passing look toward Sara, Reko did, too.

Just like that, the odd group made their way down the hallway. They didn't speak to each other, each lost in their own thoughts as they surveyed more beige walls, wooden floors, emptiness. And the farther they walked, the less Sara could deny the strangeness of what was happening; the less it all made sense. 

Joe would have announced himself by now, and the stalker… well, she didn’t know him, but why take all these people, too? This "joke" had gone too far for Joe, and it was too odd for the stalker; it was too bizarre to understand in general. 

But if Joe hadn't planned this—if her stalker wasn't behind it—that left a terrible question:

Who was?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, this chapter was way longer than the first! Heads up that there will be a few more of these introductory bits. It doesn't make sense to me to try and fit everyone's intros into a single room at once (think that works better for a visual medium). Like last time, if you spot any typos or have any comments, I'd love to hear them. 
> 
> Next chapter starts my attempt to characterize characters who basically had zero screen-time... we'll see how that goes!


	3. Meet the Candidates - Part II

They had only been walking a few minutes when they found the next group. Like with Reko, they heard them before they saw them. But this time, the sound was different—not screaming, but something softer. Crying? 

Like last time, something in Sara urged her forward. But this time, she hesitated. Looking at the group already assembled, her stomach churned, and she stiffened. She wanted to move, but her feet remained firmly in place.

“Someone’s being cautious,” Keiji said, his voice almost a whisper.

Sara grimaced. That wasn’t it, not exactly. But before she could say so, Reko cut in.

“We don’t know who’s over there, right?” The older woman crossed her arms. “Shouldn’t we be cautious?”

Keiji looked toward her and gave a half-smile (Sara was starting to think that was just the way he smiled). “True, but until a few minutes ago, you didn’t know who any of us were, either. And Sara still went running when she heard you scream.” Keiji gestured to the path them. “Maybe we should start off by trusting our allies.”

“Allies?” Reko asked, like the word was foreign to her.

“We’re all in the same situation,” Keiji said. “Stuck in a building we don’t recognize, foggy on the details about getting here. We need to work together if we’re going to figure out what’s going on.”

Looking at the man in the prison uniform, Sara wasn’t sure she agreed. The man looked back at her, then quickly gazed to the side as if pretending he hadn’t seen her.

“It seems like that’s our only option,” Sara said. She sighed. “Ok then. I’ll go first.” 

At that, Keiji raised an eyebrow. “Ultimate Samurai Woman, huh? Seems like you’re living up to that title. Wahahaha.” He clapped a hand on her shoulder. “Go on ahead. I’m right behind you.”

With a deep breath, Sara prepared herself. She couldn’t afford to overthink it. So just like that, she turned the corner and was face-to-face with yet another odd sight. 

A woman about her age was comforting a younger girl. Trying, at least. The woman was dressed… uniquely. Almost like she was wearing an octopus. The second girl was dressed in a green school uniform, but on her head… was that a bucket? 

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” the woman said, as she tried to stop the younger girl from shaking. “I won’t pull that mask out again, I promise! I thought it would make you less scared.”

“Fat chance of that,” another voice said, this one belonging to another child. He was dressed even stranger, covered from head to toe in an orange cat suit. Or maybe a dog suit. Catdog suit? “That mask is horrifying!” he added. “Horror-clown, why would you do that?”

“Maybe you should try screaming in her face,” another girl said, this one with bright pink hair. “Or you could chase her around with a bat. Threaten her family.” The girl smirked. “I think any of those would be equally effective at ‘calming her down.’”

“It was an accident!” the octopus woman said. “I wasn’t trying to scare her!” 

Before she could finish, the woman noticed the others. “You believe me, right? That it was an accident?”

Dumbfounded, Sara blinked. “Um, what?”

The woman crossed the hallway and grabbed Sara’s hand. “It was an accident! I didn’t mean to. Please, you have to help—"

“More people!” the catdog kid interrupted. At first, he seemed excited. But then, his eyebrows narrowed, and Sara noticed a plush toy in his hands. He held the toy close as he asked, “You’re not going to try and scare us like horror-clown, right?”

“…I am unable to comprehend this situation,” Gonbee said. Despite herself, Sara nodded in agreement.

“Sorry, sorry, you just got here. This whole situation is so, ugh!” The woman let go of Sara’s hand and held her fingers to her face. “My name’s Anzu. This is Hinako, Gin, and Kanna. And I will do _anything_ if you can stop Kanna from freaking out.”

With that, the woman named Anzu gestured to the crying child, who was sitting on the floor, holding her knees. She didn’t seem to notice the others were there. She gazed straight ahead, silently rocking. 

“Hmm,” Keiji said. “All that just from seeing a mask?”

Anzu frowned. “I mean, no, she was like that when I found her. But I thought seeing the mask might—”

“It appears Anzu only made the situation worse,” the pink-haired girl—Hinako—said. “Which is honestly rather surprising. You would think an ‘Ultimate Clown’ would have some skill with children.”

Anzu frowned. “Hey, I tried my best!” 

Gin bristled (Sara might have imagined it, but it seemed his plushie did, too) before saying, “I’d hate to see your worst!” 

As Sara thought through the implications of what an "Ultimate Clown" might be, Keiji stepped beside her. 

“Hey, Sara,” he said, as the trio continued to bicker. “Looks like these guys might keep going all day. Why don’t you take a stab at talking to her?” He gestured to the crying child.

“What? Why me?” Sara asked. She’d never really considered herself good with kids. 

He smirked. “Just a feeling that you might help her. And my last feeling was right, wasn’t it? So, maybe this policeman’s intuition is worth trusting.”

Sara frowned. She wasn’t so sure about that. But, looking at the girl in the corner, something made her want to walk over. With a glance at Keiji, she crossed the room, awkwardly coming to a stop in front of Kanna. 

“Hi Kanna, my name’s Sara,” Sara greeted. “The mask is gone now. You don’t have to worry.”

Kanna continued to stare forward as if Sara wasn’t there.

“Oh wait, Anzu said it wasn’t the mask, right? Um, did something else upset you before?” 

Still, Kanna wouldn’t respond. Sara bit her lip. Uncertain what else to do, she sat down and put a hand around Kanna, awkwardly patting her back. 

At the contact, Kanna looked up. Her eyes scanned Sara’s face, then widened. “Kugie?” she asked.

“Um, no,” Sara responded, uncomfortably. “I’m Sara. Sara Chidouin.”

“Sara,” Kanna replied. “You look like Kanna’s sister…” Her voice trailed off, and she looked around the room as if only now realizing she was there. “Do you know where we are, Sara?” she asked.

Sara flinched. She wasn’t sure how to answer that. 

“...I don’t,” she admitted. Kanna waited, but Sara didn’t continue. 

“Do you know where Kanna’s sister went, Sara?” Kanna asked, her eyes turning vacant again. She looked back toward the wall. “Kanna and Kugie were walking home, but then—but then—”

“But then she disappeared, didn’t she?” 

The pink-haired girl approached, apparently done tormenting Anzu. “That’s what happened to the person I was with. One second, they were there, and the next, just me.” She shrugged. “For all we know, we’re the lucky ones. Who knows what they did with the kidnapped people who aren’t here.”

At Hinako’s words, Sara furrowed her brow. "What do you mean? What could they have done with--" 

The memory came back to her with the speed of a comet. Joe, walking her home. Leaving, and then--coming back. He _had_ been there when she'd been abducted. 

So, why wasn't he here with her now? 

"I--I was with someone, too," she said. She touched her forehead. "Joe. He was, why did he--" 

She racked her mind for an answer, but nothing came. One moment, her best friend had been there. And then the next, gone. 

Sara wasn't sure when she started shaking, but now that she was, she couldn't stop. First, her hands, and then her shoulders. Her stomach lurched, and the room was spinning. Who had taken her, and what had they done with-- 

A tiny weight pressed against her back. She turned to her side and saw Kanna, hand extended, drawing small circles. The girl looked at her, tears replaced by concern. And for now, that was enough. 

"Thanks, Kanna," Sara said. She wasn't used to her emotions going haywire like this, and that was the last thing they needed right now. Sara breathed in slowly, then turned to the group. "Was anyone else with someone before coming here? Maybe that's a clue to what's going on."

"Not sure there's much use in asking," Keiji responded. "It won't lead us any closer to finding those people. And for all we know, someone could lie about who they were with." 

Sara frowned. That... was an odd point to make. Why would someone lie about who they were with? 

"Weren't you the one who said 'trust our allies'?" Reko replied, arms still crossed. 

"It was most certainly him!" Gonbee replied, gaining another of Reko's glares. 

"Anyone can lie," Keiji said, ignoring the duo's hostility. "That's true no matter who you trust. And since I'd prefer getting this mystery solved as soon as possible, we should prioritize what's most important first."

"And what would that be?" Hinako asked, voice coated with sarcasm. 

"Well, that's only natural," Keiji said. "We need to pick a leader." The group looked at him blankly, so he continued, "We need someone to start making decisions. I have a feeling our group's only going to grow larger, and the more people we have, the more opinions we'll need to field." 

"So, you want us to trust a stranger to make all our decisions and get us out of here?" Reko asked, unimpressed. 

"An _ally_ ," he corrected. At that, he turned toward Sara. "And if I had my pick, I'd go with--" 

Suddenly, a loud "Bang!" resounded through the hallway. The noise was so loud, the walls seemed to shake, and Sara covered her ears. 

"What was that?" Anzu questioned, hands covering her ears as well. 

Sara narrowed her eyes. The sounds seemed to be coming from the direction of the arrows. But, wasn't that where the monitor had told them to meet? 

_And if that's where we're supposed to meet... could that be where Joe is?_

Heart thumping, Sara made a choice. "Stay here," she told the others, as she quickly made her way toward the turn in the hallway. Behind her, she thought she heard footsteps, but she was in such a hurry, she didn't bother to check. 

Everything that was happening--it was all too much. Sara had to see what else this place had prepared for her--she needed to figure out what was going on. Most of all, she needed to find where Joe was and get him out of here before anything bad could happen. And that terrible "Bang" sounded pretty bad. 

After a few more feet, Sara abruptly stopped. Behind her, her companions did, too. Now, she realized that Keiji and Reko had been the ones to follow, with Anzu not too far behind. 

Before them was a sign saying, "Game Room." Like the monitors, the words were written in red, and they blinked on and off before disappearing. The door itself was as nondescript as all the others--beige and plain--though there was one alarming difference: three scowling men stood before the door, blocking it. 

And two of them were covered in blood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I'm probably about to slow down some but I wanted to get a few of these out first. I'm thinking two more "meet everyone" chapters before the game starts, which seems like a lot, but hopefully it's entertaining. As always, comments are always appreciated, and thanks for reading!
> 
> Also, I'm probably going to default to characters' first names since it's honestly a lot to keep track of haha. Might make exceptions for Mishima and such, we'll see.


	4. Meet the Candidates - Part III

The men were arguing. That much was obvious. Or at least, the two bloodied ones were. The third man seemed to be trying his best to remain unnoticed; his hands covered his face and smooshed up against his glasses. His suit was wrinkled from crouching.

The two other men were much larger, both in height and mass. One had shaggy red hair, and the other had bandaged wrists and bright orange pants. They both glared at each other and held up their fists. Before Sara could say anything, the second man pulled back his arm, then sent his fist flying into the bandaged-man’s face.

Anzu gasped. Reko swore. And the bandaged-man smirked, then returned the blow. But rather than collide with the redhead's chest, his fist smacked against Keiji's hand. 

In an instant, Keiji had jumped between them--his face was blank, except for narrowed eyes. "Hey now," he said, voice steady. "I'm not sure what we've walked in on, but I'll have to ask that you stop that." He squeezed the man's fist, causing him to wince. "And if asking's not good enough..."

Sara's chest tightened. She started forward, ready to come to Keiji's side if things escalated. Were these men criminals like Gonbee? Something worse? And why did they both look so… amused?

The blue-haired man pulled back his hand. He stared at Keiji a moment, brows crossing. And then, instead of yelling, or throwing another punch, or saying something insulting, he grinned. "That's what I like to see!" he said. "Someone who knows a good fight when he sees one." Keiji blinked. Sara did, too. The two made eye contact, utterly confused. 

“If ya wanted to join in, all’s ya had to do was ask,” the red-head added in a strange accent. "But I don't just goes punching anyone. I’ve got to know your name first.” 

The man extended a large hand toward Keiji. After staring at it dumbfounded, Keiji held out his own. “Uh, I’m Keiji,” he replied, as the man grabbed his hand and shook.

“Name’s Q-taro Burgerberg,” the red-head greeted.

“And I’m Naomichi Kurumada,” the other man said, extending his hand as well. Keiji grasped it with his other hand, causing his arms to awkwardly cross. After releasing the handshake, Naomichi pointed at himself. “I’m the Ultimate Boxer, which is why I was trying to show old timer here a thing or two about how to fight.”

“Quit it with this ol’timer stuff,” Q-taro said, his voice slightly clipped. “And those ultimate titles don’t mean nothing.”

“Yeah, yeah, so says the Ultimate Rookie,” Naomichi responded. At that, Q-taro glared again, this time more deeply. 

“So wait,” Sara said, adding up the pieces. “Were you guys fighting because you _wanted_ to?”

Q-taro shrugged. “Blow’s off steam.”

Beside him, Naomichi smirked. “When you wake up covered in blood in a place you don’t know, it’s a good way to feel less restless.”

Sara blinked. “Wait,” she said again. “You two woke up like this?” She gestured to their shirts, which were almost entirely covered in red.

“What!” Anzu shrieked. “And you didn’t like, find that concerning?”

The red-head laughed. It was a full-bodied laugh that filled the hallway, but the deep red shirt rendered the sound cold. “Nah, this ain’t my first time waking’s up not knowing where I was.”

The other man shrugged. “Sometimes you overdo it in training, and you don’t notice how bad ‘till the next day or two.”

Anzu shivered. “I think you guys are overtraining!” 

At that moment, the other man walked out from the corner. He dusted off his suit and rearranged his glasses before frowning. 

“Um, excuse me,” he said. “I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Shunsuke Hayasaka, and I’m incredibly thankful that you stepped in in time.”

“In time for what?” Naomichi asked.

“Pff, this guy," Q-taro said, crossing his arms. "He's been tryin ta make a run for it ever since we's got here. But I told him, the worst things ya could do here is go off on your own. Stick with us, and you're safe!" 

“Safe? I was nearly bludgeoned,” the man responded. His eyes narrowed at his partners. _"Repeatedly_."

“Ah, sorry, I didn’t think hows us fighting would affect a scrawny guy like you," Q-taro said.

"Scrawny? I'll have you know I'm utterly average wei--"

“Cease this commotion immediately!”

Still confused, Sara was almost relieved to see Gonbee as he rounded the corner with the kids. Gin was holding onto his left leg, and his claws—err, hands—dug into the man’s shin. Kanna yanked on her bucket, like she was trying to disappear. And beside her, Hinako smirked like she was in a contest to see who could be the smuggest.

“I, Gonbee, am not a child caretaker," the blue-haired man said. "Why was I left to provide for them?” 

“Um, we didn’t leave you,” Anzue said with a shrug. “We just kind of went, and you, didn’t?” 

“Whoa, there’s kids here? That’s pretty messed up,” said Q-taro, scratching his head. "At least, I think it is? We don't really knows enough to know how bad we've got it."

“Speaking of, do we know why we've been brought here exactly?” Shunsuke asked. 

For a moment, the group murmured in shared confusion. Then, Hinako stepped forward. “Isn't that obvious?" All eyes turned toward the girl, whose expression had somehow grown even smugger. She pointed to the door before them. "We're here to play a game."

"…I doubt we're really here for some game," Sara said. "If we were, wouldn't we remember that?"

"Choose to believe what you want," the girl replied, still smirking. "But here's a warning--it is a game, and I don't like losing." 

Sara flinched; something in the girl’s voice had changed. Before, her taunt had almost been light-hearted. But now? It had filled with the weight of everything around them—the screaming, the running, the blood. 

Wanting to see if she was overreacting, Sara turned toward Keiji. But before she could puzzle through his expression, Gonbee let out a heavy sigh.

“In my brief time as warden for these children,” he said, “I have ascertained that this one is unusually deceptive. I do not wish to speak ill of a child, but... perhaps it is best we do not trust her."

Hinako smiled; Gonbee noticeably paled. Sara didn’t, but she understood why.

“Quit complaining,” Reko said. “You said you didn’t want to be the Ultimate Prisoner, right? Try Ultimate Babysitter.”

“If that is truly your wish, Reko, then I, Al—er, Gonbee, shall commit my fullest to—” 

“Yeah, yeah," she responded, looking away.

"So why are you standing out here?" Sara asked, as she turned back toward the trio of men. "That announcement said to go to the Game Room. And well, we’re here, so—" 

"Yeah, wells, we wanted to go in there,” Q-taro responded. “But the others won't let us in." 

"The others?" Sara asked. “Does that mean there are even more of us?” 

Shunsuke nodded; he scratched the back of his neck, almost sheepishly. "It seems a few more people arrived here before us. And, well, they don't seem exactly trusting." 

"Of us? Why not?" Anzu asked. 

Gin let go of Gonbee's leg, only to then grab his other leg instead. "Seriously?" he asked, as Gonbee tried to shake him off. He side-eyed Q-taro and Naomichi before adding, “If you wanna hang out with bloody guys all day, that’s your decision horror-clown meow! But don’t have me doing it!” 

"But the monitor said we have to go in," Anzu said. She raised a hand to her chest. "I mean, I haven’t really stopped to think about it, but what do you think will happen if we don't?"

Sara looked around at the strange assemblage of people. The thought had occurred to her as well. Could they just… not go in? Turn back and try to find some other way out? 

Once again, she looked toward Keiji. But his face didn’t offer any advice. In fact, he was no longer looking at her, but down at the ground, deep in thought.

Her eyes scanned across the others; they all seemed in various stages of uncertainty. From Reko, who was trying to look tough but actually just looked scared, to Hinako, who still stared at the door, but seemed hesitant to touch it. 

Finally, her eyes landed on Kanna.

Since finding the trio, the girl hadn’t spoken at all. She was still trembling, still wearing that bucket as if she was trying to conceal her face—trying to protect herself from seeing anything around her. What had happened to make her react this way? And who would do something to a child to scare them like this? Better yet, could they really leave here without trying to get an answer? An apology? Something to help the girl stop shaking?

Filled with resolve, Sara moved toward the Game Room. Whatever was waiting for them was just beyond that door. An answer. A reason. Anything. 

It was too late to turn away.

Walking forward, Sara grabbed the knob, but it didn't move. Frustrated, she tried again. And this time, the door cracked open—slowly, loudly, and just barely enough that she could see the frowning, teal-haired man on the other side. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! You'd think working from home would mean more time to write, but nope haha. Thanks for everyone who's stuck with this so far, even with the (...3 month!?) hiatus.  
> The game should officially start next chapter, so hang tight. As always, I appreciate all feedback/speculation/just random comments. Hope you're all staying safe!


	5. Candidates Acquired

The man was thin, pale, and wearing a beanie. He looked strangely winded, though all he’d done was open the door. 

“Sorry, we already—” he began to say, only to stop mid-sentence. He blinked, as if he didn’t understand what he was seeing. “You’re not a six-foot tall muscular man.”

Sara blinked back. “Neither are you.” 

For a moment, the two continued staring at each other. And then, the stranger laughed. “Sorry, the people who came here before were—” His eyes darted to Q-taro and Naomichi, who had wandered off toward the rest of the group. “Oh, that’s them,” he said, voice suddenly monotone. “Are you with them?”

Sara looked toward the men in question. Q-taro was grinning, pretending to swing at something while Gin watched in wide-eyed excitement. Naomichi was flexing his muscles at Reko and Anzu; the former seemed unimpressed, and the latter seemed like nothing had ever impressed her more. Shunsuke stood a ways apart from them, trying but failing to talk to Kanna. 

Could Sara really claim these new people as allies? 

“…I guess so?” she found herself saying.

“Oh,” the man said in response. The monotone left his voice, replaced with something equal-parts friendly and sad. “Well, that’s unfortunate. I can’t let you in then. It isn’t my decision. Megumi said—”

“Megumi?”

Sara flinched. In a flash, Keiji was standing beside her, eyes almost imperceptibly wider. His arms were crossed in front of him, and his fingers dug into his elbow. 

“…Right,” the stranger replied, sounding confused. “Megumi said those two can’t be trusted. And since she’s an officer, I have to agree. No offense,” he added, raising a hand toward Keiji.

 _Officer?_ Sara thought. That was a strange coincidence. From what she could tell, no one else here shared a job. And of all the jobs to share, in a place like this, officer seemed oddly meaningful. 

“Just like a cop to think that,” Naomichi said, apparently done with introductions. He appeared on Sara’s left, flanked by Shunsuke and Q-taro. “I already told this guy, he can’t keep us out.”

“Agreed,” Shunsuke said. “And yet, you refuse to do anything about it.”

Naomichi frowned. “What am I supposed to do? He’s so… puny. Wouldn’t feel good, beating up a guy like that.”

“You didn’t seem to have the same considerations with _me_.”

“Weren’t you the one saying you was average?” Q-taro asked. 

As the three men continued bickering, the man behind the door sighed. He seemed unoffended by Naomichi’s comments, unconcerned by Shunsuke’s suggestion. If anything, it seemed like he was done talking and desired to leave but didn’t want to be rude about it.

“Like I said, it isn’t my choice,” he said, slowly taking a step backwards. “But I have to—"

Sara thrust her foot in the crack of the doorway. "Sorry to do this," she said. As the man gaped at her, Sara shimmied the rest of her leg through the opening, then pushed her arm between the same space. She shoulder-checked the door open, causing the man to stumble backwards, then fall to the floor with a tiny “Thwack.” 

Sara nearly laughed in surprise—that had been easier than she’d expected. But the look of shock on the stranger’s face left her silent. 

“Ultimate samurai woman,” Keiji commented, as he shot her his half-smile. “You’re really living up to that title.” 

“Hey, you got the door open!” Naomichi said, giving her a thumbs up. “Nice work,” he added, before walking through the entrance and stepping over the man. 

“Oh, I wanna see what’s inside,” Q-taro responded as he followed after. 

“Hey, wait for me,” Shunsuke replied, before sprinting behind the pair. 

Soon after, the others followed—Anzu grabbed Kanna’s hand and dragged her along, and Reko walked through with Hinako and Gin as Gonbee trailed nearby. The only ones who remained were Sara, Keiji, and the stranger. The stranger hadn’t moved from where he had fallen, and Keiji remained at Sara’s side. 

She expected the stranger to look angry, or at least annoyed. And for a moment, that’s exactly what happened—his eyes stared downward, intense and pointed. But in an instant, he looked back up. He smiled sheepishly. “Well, that didn’t go as hoped.” 

The change in his expression was unnerving. Was it possible she’d imagined it?

“I didn’t mean to knock you over,” she replied, trying to hide her unease. “I’m Sara Chidouin. And I promise I’m not usually so… pushy.”

“That’s true,’” Keiji added. “She’s usually more ‘reckless’ and ‘rush-into-danger.’”

Ignoring Keiji, Sara extended a hand. After a brief hesitation, the stranger grabbed it. 

“I’m Shin Tsukimi,” he said, as Sara pulled him up. “The Ultimate Hacker, according to that monitor in my room. Certainly not the Ultimate Bouncer, it seems.” He looked to the side, apparently embarrassed. But for just a moment, Sara saw a flit of something else. “Since you’re already in here,” he continued, looking back toward her, “I suppose there’s not much I can do to stop you.”

“Probably not,” she agreed with a shrug, hoping it came off jokingly. 

The stranger snorted, and for a moment, Sara felt herself relaxing. But then it hit her—the noise could just as easily mean amusement or anger—and her body tensed once more. 

“Would you like to meet the others?” the stranger asked, as he gestured to the corridor behind him. The uncomfortable glint returned to his eyes, but none of it touched his voice.

Wanting to keep the peace, Sara nodded. “Sure, let’s—” But before Sara could finish her sentence, something snagged her wrist.

“You go on ahead,” Keiji said to Shin. “We’ll meet up with you soon.” He turned toward Sara, then tightened his grip. “We were in the middle of something important.”

Shin’s eyes narrowed. “You were? What would that be?”

“I was asking Sara here on a date.”

Sara felt the heat rise to her cheeks. Shin’s eyes darted to her expression, then to Keiji’s grip on her wrist. “Really?” Shin replied. “Pardon me if I’m reading this wrong, but didn’t you two just meet each other?”

“Sure,” Keiji replied. “But in a way, I think I've always known her.”

…That was probably the cheesiest line Sara had ever heard. Cheesy enough to cause the color to leave her face, but not to make her pull her arm back. 

Shin continued to look between them as if considering something. But after a moment, he let it drop. “Well, I wouldn’t want to get in the way of something so wonderful,” he said, a mischievous note to his voice. “Hope you enjoy your date, Ms. Sara. I’ll see you both when you’re less… preoccupied.”

With that, Shin turned around, started down the corridor, and disappeared. 

Immediately, Sara turned back to Keiji. “What was that about?” she asked. 

Completely unphased, Keiji looked her straight in the eyes. “Sara,” he said. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but I’m not sure everyone here is an ally.”

Sara felt like he had pinched her. “Wait, what? Weren’t you the one who wanted us to work together?”

“I was,” he said. “And I was wrong. Some of the people here… we shouldn’t trust them." He shook his head with a sigh. "Sorry, make that, _can't_ trust them." 

Silence passed between them as Sara considered Keiji’s words. She knew he had a point, but why the sudden shift in opinion? She thought back to his strange reaction, moments earlier, when Shin had mentioned someone named Megumi. It was obvious Keiji had recognized the name. 

...Was Keiji hiding something from her? And if he was, why did he feel the need to hide it?

She almost asked—“Who’s Megumi?”—but something about her face must have tipped him off. Suddenly, he looked away, expression shifting. “Wahaha, I’m just being overly cautious. Must be it,” he said, scratching his neck.

“Right…” Sara replied, uncertain what else to say. The question still hung on her lips, but she was no longer sure how to ask it. 

“Come on, let’s get going,” Keiji added, as he took a step down the corridor. Suddenly uneasy, Sara followed a distance behind him. He glanced back at her but didn’t comment.

Sara wasn't naturally a suspicious person, and this wasn't a feeling she liked. But as she continued down the corridor, her suspicions only grew, and her new surroundings only made them worse. She quickly realized that the corridor was far different from the hallway outside--whereas the hallway was bland and white, the corridor was covered in bizarre pictures of what looked to be children. Bizarre, because many of them were wearing metallic masks in the shape of a bear. The masks circled around their entire heads, and the bear was half white and half black with a single red eye. 

“Interesting taste in art,” Keiji said.

“I don’t know if I’d even call it decorating,” Sara replied. 

As they continued walking, the pictures only grew stranger. The bear appeared in most of them, though often in grotesque forms. One version had bombs on his back. Another could only be described as a mutation, with sludge-like skin and drooping eyes. And a third bear, smiling wickedly, appeared to be dancing in a fiery field with several masked children.

“Do you think someone drew these?” Sara asked. “Or maybe they were computer-generated?”

“…Could be,” Keiji said. “Or…” He let the sentence fall—Sara waited for the rest, but it never came. 

"I mean, obviously they aren't real. Maybe the bear's some sort of toy?" 

Keiji offered no response; they continued their walk in silence.

Before they knew it, they’d reached the end of the corridor. No fanfare marked the beginning of the Game Room, except for a sign saying, “You’re Here!” Cautiously, they took another step forward and let their eyes adjust to the room, expecting to be overwhelmed by bright lights and arcade noises. But the first thing Sara noticed was that there wasn’t a single game in sight—no foosball, Donkey Kong, or first-person shooters. Actually, the room didn’t resemble a game room at all. It looked more like a museum. 

Several statues lined the walls, most of which resembled teenagers. Gin was playing hide and seek behind them, though no one appeared to be trying to find him. In the middle of the room, Reko and Anzu were perusing a handful of exhibits, including one called “11037" that featured a baseball. Another exhibit simply said, "Hat," and showcased a plain black cap. Beside this second exhibit stood a woman with long black hair and a furious expression. She was harsh-speaking at Shin (that’s what Sara's mom called it, when she wasn’t literally yelling, but might as well be), who in turn gestured to Q-taro and Naomichi, who were clenching their fists and rolling their eyes, respectively. 

“I said to keep those two out,” the woman stated. “How, and why, are they in here?”

“Lady, I don’t want no issues with ya, but I’m starting to have some,” Q-taro responded. 

“Sorry about this, Megumi,” Shin said, “but we have a tiny problem.”

At that moment, Shin turned toward Sara and Keiji. Sara, surprised to already be meeting Megumi, barely noticed him point in their direction. “That’s the problem,” Shin said. “Sara Chidouin. I asked her to leave, but she's the reason these people are in here."

The _something_ behind Shin's expression was back, but at the same time, his statement didn't sound like an accusation. It simply seemed like he was staying a fact.

"I know we're trying to create a safe haven here," he continued. "And... I worry she's not fit to be part of it."

Sara winced. _There_ was the something. But, what was this about a safe haven? 

Megumi turned toward Sara, expression flat. She took a step forward; Sara squared her shoulders, prepared to meet whatever the woman had to say. But the woman’s red eyes weren’t on her.

“Keiji,” the woman greeted.

“Hi Megumi.”

“You two know each other?” Shunsuke asked.

“Yes," Megumi replied. "We worked together." Her voice remained cold, yet even. 

By now, the others in Sara's group were walking over. And so, too, were several people she didn't know, including a man with a fluffy ball of hair and a woman wearing a puffy brown hat.

“Worked, meaning past tense?” Naomichi asked. “Do you work for different stations now?”

“No,” Megumi answered. "Yes," Keiji said simultaneously. 

“Ah,” Megumi replied, “it seems Keiji is up to his tricks again.”

“Tricks? I’m an open book, Megumi."

“Written in invisible ink,” she replied. 

The tension in the room was suffocating. And yet, both Megumi and Keiji were smiling. But their eyes were similar to Shin's--guarded, and not fully there. 

“Ahem.”

Sara turned to the source of the noise, grateful for the interruption. But the moment she saw its source, she took a step back, unconsciously looking for a weapon again. 

The speaker was tall, and if Sara were being honest, incredibly creepy. His white hair stood up in every direction, and his smile was pointy like a shark’s. Even his glasses, which hid his pupils, gave off an air of stay-away.

“It appears we have new guests,” the man said. “And I, for one, couldn't be happier! I believe it is in our best interest that we all get acquainted,” he added, as he readjusted his glasses. 

For a moment, no one responded. Then, Q-taro laughed. 

“You let this guy in, but not us?” he asked. "Did you even get a good look at him?"

“Mishima is a respected art and Japanese teacher,” Megumi replied, slowly looking away from Keiji. “The Ultimate Teacher, in fact.”

“Oh, that’s just a silly title,” the man--Mishima--said. “I much prefer, ‘Ultimate Connoisseur of Learning.’ What is a good teacher if not a lifelong learner?”

The man opened his mouth, about to say more, but the poof-hat woman spoke first. “Oh, are we sharing titles? Names? I just love introductions!” The woman stepped forward. “I’m Mai, also known as the Ultimate Baker! And wow, I never thought I’d win that award!”

"Award? You mean, your ultimate title?" Reko asked.

“I don’t know if I’d call it an award,” Sara said, keenly aware of their surroundings.

“Oh, that’s true. I mean, that _honor_. Because it's an honor just to be nominated!” 

While Sara tried to process Mai's... whatever that was, the woman gestured to the man beside her. Only, he wasn't really a man--he was closer to Sara's age. Or maybe the age of the statue-people.

“Alright Ranmaru," Mai said, "now it’s your turn!”

“You already gave them my name," the teenager said. 

“Right! But not your title.”

“I already told you. I don’t have one.”

The woman—Mai—rolled her eyes. “Oh, that’s so silly, of course you—"

“And what about you, Megumi?” Keiji interjected. “Have a fancy new title for yourself?”

The woman put a hand on her hip. “Didn’t they tell you? I’m the Ultimate Police Officer.”

“Huh, that true?” 

“You sound like you doubt me.”

Keiji crossed his arms. “Just happy that all of your hard work is finally being acknowledged.”

"Oh, isn't it wonderful, this shared happiness," Mishima said. His voice sounded so sincere that Sara wondered if he really believed it. "To see two coworkers, friends reunited. It does a teacher proud!"

As Sara tried to come up with a response, a high-pitched, nasal voice rang throughout the room. Its loudness caused several exhibits to shake. And as it spoke, for some reason, Sara felt herself shaking, too: 

"Hey, there's only one teacher here, bub! And his name is... Monokuma!"

Sara looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. The others looked around as well, but no one new appeared.

"Is someone, like, hiding?" Anzu asked. 

“Where is that accursed voice coming from?” Gonbee added. 

“Puh puh puh," the voice replied, "so sorry for the delay! It seems my entourage is still getting ready.”

Suddenly, the exhibits started moving. They separated along the middle, with the baseball being sent to the left and the hat going to the right. A few more exhibits were pushed to the back, and in their place, a platform emerged from the ground. Megumi, Shin, and everyone else near the exhibits hopped to the side, narrowly avoiding being squished in the process. 

“Wow,” the nasally voice said. “You could cut the tension in here with a knife! Orrrrr you could take that knife and start slicing each other to ribbons.”

As the platform stopped moving, a chill ran down Sara's back. A shadowy figure emerged from the center. It was small and round, and it began walking forward; Sara's heart lurched at what she saw.

Standing in front of her—talking and laughing—was the red-eyed bear from the paintings.

"Hellllllo students!" the bear greeted. "And welcome to your mutual killing game!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, getting to Monokuma took way long! But now that he's here, things are really gonna speed up. (In terms of plot... hopefully updating speed remains pretty consistent, too). Also, I'm going with Shin's real name and pre-game personality because, in this context, there's no reason for him to be using his Sou alias. For Alice, Gonbee made sense since Reko wants nothing to do with him. Just thought I'd clear that up :) 
> 
> In other news, I think I'm at the point where a Beta reader would be awesome, even if only for proofreading/logic stuff. Honestly, that's what takes me the longest, and then I still miss things! 0.0 If you're interested, please feel free to reach out :)


	6. Of Monodolls and Motives

“Welcome, welcome,” the bear began, “to your all-expense paid vacation to hell! Leave all your hopes at the door and prepare yourself—” The bear paused, then giggled. “For despair!”

The silence that followed the bear’s words was dizzying. Sara stared at the others; most of them were in different states of shock. Some, like Anzu, were literally open mouthed. Others, including Shunsuke and Shin, were simply frozen. Reko and Q-taro glared as if they were angry, but their mouths were tense in what could only be confusion, and Gin was hiding behind his plushy, wide-eyed and worried. 

Keiji and Megumi barely looked surprised at all. Megumi frowned; she folded her arms. Keiji’s face was entirely blank. 

Unexpectedly, it was Gonbee who first spoke. He took a step toward the bear, expression tight. “You are a children’s plush toy, yes?” he asked. As the bear opened its mouth to respond, Gonbee pointed to Kanna. “Go, plush creature, and comfort that child immediately!”

Kanna didn’t look up. Her eyes were cloudy. She seemed completely unaware of the bear's appearance.

“Whoa, hey there, I’m not some kid’s toy,” the bear said, face growing red. “I’m Monokuma, the one and only headmaster of this academy!”

“I don’t believe I’ve ever had a bear for a headmaster before,” Mishima said. “At least, not literally speaking.”

“Wait, does that mean we’re at an academy?” Anzu asked. “Oh no, I haven’t studied for anything!” She glanced around the room, like she was hoping someone would let her cheat off their test. 

“Why would we all be at an academy?” Ranmaru responded. “We’re teenagers," he said, pointing to himself and Sara. "They're kids.” He gestured to Kanna and Hinako. "But the rest of you... are old."

“Hey now, that’s ageist! Talk about disrespecting your elders.” Monokuma leaned forward, one hand to his ear. “Actually, go ahead, talk about disrespecting them. I’d love to hear it.” Grimacing, Ranmaru didn’t respond. “Ok, fine. Some people,” Monokuma muttered, shaking his head. “You’re right! This isn’t just any academy, and you aren’t just any students. You’re the Ultimates at Hopes Peak’s Asunaro Project!

“Asunaro?” Q-taro commented. He’d been standing like he was ready to fight, but as Monokuma spoke, he lowered his fists. “That’s my—" 

“Ultimates?” Megumi interrupted. “Are you referring to those titles from our monitors?”

“Ding ding! You got it Ms. Ultimate Detective.” Monokuma cocked his head. “Oh, sorry, wrong season. I mean, Ms. Ultimate…" He blinked. "Uh, what was your title again?”

“What the hell are we doing here?” Reko interrupted. “I have a gig tonight and I—”

“Yeah, yeah, calm down,” Monokuma said, waving his paw. “If you want to leave this academy, the rules are simple. And to help me explain them—oh, Monodolls!” 

After seeing Monokuma, Sara thought she was prepared for anything. But her stomach backflipped as four brightly colored creatures descended from the ceiling. Each looked almost human. But there was something off about them, just barely. From the green-haired Monodoll’s too wide smile to the swirling circles that made up the redhead’s own eyes.

“So glad to meet you all!” said the first doll, as she let out a giggle. Her hair was long and brown, and she appeared to be wearing a melted crown. “You can call me the Laughing Doll.” Abruptly, her voice lowered. “Actually, you have to call me that. Go with anything else, and it won’t be pretty.”

“I know something else that’s not pretty,” said the redheaded doll. Ignoring the Laughing Doll’s glare, he continued, “I’m the Dressup Doll! And if you think I look good now, just wait until I’m wearing your clothes!” 

“I don’t want to think about that,” said the green-haired doll, her eyes already tearing. “I’m the Crying Doll, and I’m sorry you’re all in this situation. I’ll do my best to mourn for you.”

The fourth doll stepped forward. He was large-eyed with a droopy moustache. "I am the Reception Doll, and--"

“Wait, whazzit about mourning?”

Q-taro's voice was far from the only one to speak up. Sara was too shocked to say anything, but the other voices blurred together, each asking a variation of the same question. 

"Who's dying?"

"What about clothes?"

"I definitely didn't study for this!"

“Hey, whatever you are," Sara finally added, "what do you mean by mourning?” She clenched her fists and eyed the doll dead-on. Whatever this was--prank, kidnapping, something else--it had gone too far. And these strange robot creatures were the last straw. 

The Crying Doll blinked at her. Or maybe it was trying to blink away its tears. She smiled like she was about to reply, but instead, Monokuma spoke up: 

“Oh, don’t you know? It’s all in the rules of the game! Reception doll, if you'd please.”

“Certainly.” The fourth doll stepped forward. He pulled out and unraveled a long sheet of paper. “The main rules of the game are simple. First, murder one of your classmates. Second, get away with it.” Having said so, he rolled the paper back up and placed it inside his pocket. He then returned to his place in line.

For a moment, the entire room seemed to pause. And then, it went double-speed. As Sara tried to process the doll's words, everything around her was sheer panic, every voice competing with the others to be heard. 

"My apologies, I believe I've misheard you--" 

“What? You can’t be serious?” 

"Murder. No way. There's no way--"

“Quiet, quiet!” the bear shouted, raising his paws. His face reddened once more, and Sara noticed tiny claws poking out from his fingers. “I’m talking here, and I’ve got something important to say." He lowered his paws and tilted his head. "...What was it again?”

“I believe you were going to tell them more about the rules," the Reception Doll said.

“Oh yeah, the rules,” Monokuma replied. “Each time, I’m gonna give you a motive to lend some inspiration. And the motive for this first murder is…”

He paused. Then, he slumped forward. If not for his insane red eye and the even more insane things he was saying, it would almost be cute. “...I know I had a motive... a really great one..." Once more, it cocked its head. "Why can't I remember it?”

“Seriously?” the Laughing Doll asked, causing the Dressup Doll to laugh.

"Wow, you forgot your own motive? You going senile again, ol' man?"

"Well, maybe this is for the best," the Crying Doll said, smiling softly. "This way, no one gets hurt."

"No, no, no!" the bear responded, frantically waving its paws. "The whole _point_ is for them to get hurt." He slumped forward again, chin resting on his stomach. And then, he sat back up. "I've got it!" Monokuma walked to the edge of the stage. "It's so simple, I can bear-ly believe it!" He surveyed the humans in the crowd and smiled widely. "One of you will come up with the motive!" 

Instinctively, Sara took a step back. The room around her seemed to drop several degrees. 

“Wait, us?” Anzu asked, eyes widening. "You want one of us to come up with a--with a--" 

The bear nodded. “Yup! How about this? The student who comes up with the best motive wins a special prize.”

Sara shook her head. A special prize? What could be good enough to make someone kill? And was she seriously standing here, completely silent, as a stuffed bear talked about murder? She grimaced. She glared at the dolls. She could probably distract them, at least hold them off while the others ran for help. This had gone on way too long. But if she teamed up with the others, if they worked as a group, then they'd--then she'd--

A hand squeezed her arm. She looked behind her; Keiji's grip tightened. He was frowning, and his message was clear:

 _Don't do it._

“But what if we can’t think of a motive?” Mai asked. Sara looked toward her. Surely she couldn't be-- "And how will you decide which motive's best?" Mai continued, still smiling as she clasped her hands together 

Sara's stomach churned. There was no way they'd been brought here to murder each other, but it was a sick joke nonetheless. And it was even sicker that some people seemed to be buying into it. With that thought, she shrugged off Keiji's hand. She scowled. "What if we refuse?" 

Strangely, the bear giggled again. “I’m not gonna _make you_ come up with a motive. Where’s the fun in that?” Suddenly, his claws extended. His face darkened. “What I _want_ is to see who already has the killing intent. Who here can come up with a motive to get the game going? Who has what it takes to win it all!”

Just as quickly as the claws appeared, they vanished. The bear's smile returned. “Oh, I almost forgot! Here are your monopads," he said, as the dolls jumped down from the stage. They each held several thin screens in their hand. "All you have to do is type in a motive. Or if you don’t have one, just press the 'I'm a wussy baby' button, and we'll know to skip you."

The Crying Doll stood before Sara. She extended her hand and offered one of the tablets. Sara hesitated, but in the corner of her eye, she saw Keiji--who was still frowning, no longer looking at her--accept his from the Reception Doll. Somewhat reassured, she took her own. 

The tablet was just an ordinary tablet. But once it was in her hands, the screen lit up. On the top right corner was her own name and talent. Beneath that were the names of the other "students," and to the left was a question: "What should our first motive be? All responses completely anonymous!" There was a space for a longform answer, and beside that sat the button the bear had mentioned, complete with a picture of a cartoon, crying baby. The baby's tears were animated, and the screen glowed an unsettling pink. 

"Hold it!" the bear cried out. Sara looked up; to her surprise, some people already had a finger on the screen. "Before you put down your responses," the bear continued, "remember this--I'm 100% serious about this killing game. Even if you think I'm joking, someone else knows I'm not. And if they take it seriously, and you don't, well..." The bear extended its arm, like it wanted them to grab it. "You're a pretty big target when they decide to strike."

For a moment, the others stood completely paralyzed. But then, she saw it in her peripheral. It happened so quickly, she couldn't say for sure who pressed the screen first--but she knew without question that Shin, Mai, and Shunsuke were all typing.

Soon, they were joined by others. Not everyone--based on Reko's scowl and crossed arms, she must have already pressed the button, and Anzu was taking her time but seemed to be hovering over it to do the same--but enough others that Sara's already churning stomach twisted. Defiantly, she pressed the button. The screen turned black, and then the words, "Waiting for non-wusses" appeared. Scowling, she turned back toward the stage, where the bear and his dolls stood silently watching.

The bear was obviously lying. A sick, sick joke. No one would believe it. No one would--

Except, it sounded like they _had_ believed. Mai, Anzu... And all the typers--if they didn't believe, why would they bother answering?

And if they _did_ believe, then that meant--they'd only be writing motives if they--

In the corner of her eye, she saw Keiji’s hand move. 

...Was it just her imagination, or was he taking longer than he should need to press the “I'm a wussy baby” button?

Ranmaru stood to her right. To her shock, he also appeared to be typing in something. After a moment, he removed his hand. He looked up, eyes widening like he hadn't noticed she was there.

“You submitted one?” she asked, unwilling to believe it. 

His face remained blank, but his eyes appeared sleepier. “Yeah,” he said. “Whoever kills first wins a tea party.”

"...What?" Sara blinked, sure she'd misheard. At her expression, Ranmaru shrugged. “If we all put something ridiculous, then the motive will never be worth it," he said. "And if the motive is never worth it, why would anyone resort to murder?”

Sara blinked again, still not sure she was following. "You put a dumb motive to prevent anyone from doing it?"

"Exactly," he said. And then, he smiled. Small, barely there, from the corner of his mouth. "I'm sure that's what some of the others are doing." 

Having said that, he looked back toward the rest of the room. Sara followed his gaze. Once again, her eyes landed on Keiji-- _Is that what he's doing?_ \--only to see Shin walking toward her instead. One hand was curled around his scarf, which was pulled down just enough to show a shy smile. Why he was walking over, she didn't know. But his expression seemed to suggest he didn't think anything was wrong--that he'd forgotten he'd tried to sell her out to Megumi a few moments ago.

“Aww, that was a great idea,” he said, once he was in front of the pair. “I went with ‘winner wins a new cat suit.’” 

Sara frowned. "That’s even weirder." 

“…You want a new cat suit?” Ranmaru asked. 

Embarrassed, Shin pulled up his scarf, slightly muffling his words: “If the motive only targets one person—and if that person isn’t a threat—we’ll easily be able to contain it.” Saying so, he looked toward Gin, who had now grabbed onto Naomichi’s leg. “Admittedly, you had the better idea, but I think either motive should do the trick.”

Sara frowned. She looked down at her own tablet, which still had the "Waiting for non-wusses" screen. They’d both really thought through their answers, taken this seriously. She’d clicked the button without even thinking. 

"...So you guys think this is real?" she finally asked.

"Define real," Ranmaru quickly replied. "If you mean, is this really happening? It is. Do they really want us to kill each other? Don't know. It seems insane... but there's a talking bear here." He sighed. "Honestly, I have no idea."

"Being here at all seems crazy," Shin added. "So, might as well assume the worst." He tugged on his scarf and frowned. "I've met enough terrible people to know this could be real." 

Sarah squinted. That was... ominous. But it also wasn't the most important thing right now. “It’s not like someone would kill anyway, right?” she asked. Both men turned toward her, then toward each other. “I mean, even if the motive’s convincing, murder’s murder. No one would do that, would they?”

“…Of course not,” Shin said.

“Don’t think so,” Ranmaru agreed.

The hesitation in their answers was answer enough, and not the one Sara wanted. 

“Of course they won't!”

On her left, Anzu flew forward, face contorted like she’d been insulted. “There’s no way any of us would become killers! I know I just met you all, but it’s definitely true!”

“Don’t mean to be a skeptic, but what makes you so sure?”

It was Keiji. His arms were crossed. In one hand, he still held his monopod. Sara tried to meet his eye, to silently ask what he wrote. But he didn't notice her. Pretended not to.

“Clowns know a lot about scary stuff," Anzu continued. "Kids are scared of us, you know! And there are definitely things that can drive someone to murder, but only if we allow them to.” She smiled, and for the first time, Sara thought she seemed confident. Fearless. “We all just need to stick together, and then—”

“Brrrng brrrrrng! Brrrrng brrrrrng! What's that? Oh, it seems that all motives have been submitted." The bear's tinny voice flew from the stage, and the Dressup Doll laughed loudly.

Sara froze. "Seems like it's time to hear your new motive," the doll cackled. "I wonder what it'll be?" 

"Oh Reception Doll!" the bear cried out. The doll walked toward him, holding a monopad. The bear grabbed the pad, smiling, his face turning pink from the glow. 

"It seems we have quite a few wusses in the academy!" the bear said, as he scrolled through the responses. Beside her, Anzu winced, all of her confidence fading as she hunched in on herself. "But, oh--what's this?" the bear continued, looking up and showing its teeth. "We have some creative minds as well! Here's a good one," he said, as he pressed his paw to the tablet. 

Sara's monopad vibrated. Everyone's did. She pulled hers in front of her and looked down--and just like that, her eyes widened, her chest grew tight, as the motive flashed across her screen. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnd we're back! Sorry this has literally taken forever... COVID-19 has shifted a ton in my schedule. Plus college and new job means I'm toast. But I've had this in my drafts for like 2 months and figured, might as well post it, even if I don't have time to edit.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who reached out about beta-ing--someone in my program is actually going to do a swap with me, which hopefully means I'll be back to a <100 day schedule xD Maybe monthly? That's the goal anyway. I appreciate everyone who's taken the time to give kudos or comment, and I promise this fic isn't abandoned, it's just taking its time :)


End file.
